Mechanism for automatic orienting and feeding of buttons to button attaching mechanism



Jan. 16, 1968 1.. PREZES 3,363,805

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC ORIENTING AND FEEDING OF BUTTONS TO BUTTON ATTACHING MECHANISM heets+$heet 1 Filed July 20, 1966 INVENTOR LUCIE/V PREZES Age'n Z- 3,363,805 G OF L. PREZES MATIC ORIENTING AND FEEDIN BUTTONS TO BUTTON ATTACHING MECHANISM Jan; 16, 1968 MECHANISM FOR AUTO 3 SheetsSheet 2 Filed July 20, 1966 INVENTOP. L UC/E/V PPEZES.

Jan. 16, 1968 PREZES 3 3,363,805 MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC ORIENTING AND FEEDING OF BUTTONS TO BUTTON ATTACHING MECHANISM Filed July 20, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lNVENTOR b L UC/FN PPEZES.

aw 4M Agent United States Patent Office 3,363,865 Patented Jan. 16, 1968 3,363,805 MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC ORIENTENG AND FEEDING OF BUTTONS TO BUTTON ATTACH- ING MECHANISM Lucien Prezes, 19 York Downs Drive, Downsview, Ontario, Canada Filed July 20, 1966, Ser. No. 566,498 8 Claims. ('Cl. 221173) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-contained button feeding mechanism for feeding buttons successively in a predetermined orientation to a button attachment site remote from said mechanism and for retaining each button in said orientation at said site until required.

The present invention relates to button feeding mechanism and is particularly directed to mechanism for feeding or delivering buttons individually from a stock thereof to a site where said buttons are attached to articles of clothing or the like, such site for the sake of brevity being herein termed a button attachment site.

A typical situation envisaged by the invention comprises a sewing machine operator stitching buttons to successive garments, and in this case the button attachment site would, of course, be located adjacent to the needle of the sewing machine. The invention is however, applicable to other situations and is not necessarily applicable only to buttons which have to be attached by sewing.

Known mechanisms for feeding buttons successively to an attachment site have suffered from various disadvantages which need not be set out in detail herein.

The present invention has a broad general object the provision of an improved mechanism for feeding buttons to an attachment site which is more reliable in operation and less prone to malfunctioning when operating at high speeds than mechanisms hitherto known for this purpose.

One problem in the mechanisations of button feeding operations is that buttons must normally be presented at the button attachment site in a particular orientation in order that they may be properly attached to a garment by attachment machinery. Obviously in the exemplary situation outlined above perforated buttons could be usedthe needle of the sewing machine passing through the holes in each button in order to sew it to a garment. To permit mechanical sewing the button must be accurately arranged with the holes in a particular position or orientation relative to the sewing machine head.

The desired orientation could be achieved by manually adjusting the button at the attachment site. On the other hand such manual adjustment would inevitably slow down the button attachment operation and could considerably reduce output where many hundreds, if not thousands, of buttons have to be attached in the course of a day. Manual adjustment of the buttons is also undesirable because of the risk involved to the operator, whose fingers could easily be injured by the button attachment machinery if the latter were accidentally actuated in the course of such adjustment.

It is accordingly a further object of the invention to provide improved mechanism as aforesaid capable of delivering from a stock of randomly oriented buttons successive buttons in accurately oriented condition ready for machine attachment to a garment or the like without further adjustment.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in mechanism as aforesaid a relatively simple device capable of detecting misoriented buttons and correcting the orientation thereof before said buttons are delivered to said attachment site.

It is a further object of the invention to provide mechanism as aforesaid which is readily adaptable to accommodate buttons of different sizes and wherein the adaptation can be eifected speedily by the user without the need for special tools.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved method of delivering buttons from a stock thereof to a button attachment site.

The foregoing and other objects are achieved in accord ance with the invention by a mechanism comprising delivery means for delivering buttons successively to an intermediate position and a conveyor for transporting each said button from said intermediate position to said button attachment site. Means is provided on said conveyor engageable with each said button at said intermediate position and while it is being transported as aforesaid, and a predetermined orientation is imparted to said button by orienting means whereby the button is delivered to the conveyor in said orientation.

Other objects features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description-which is furnished for illustrative purposes only-of a specific preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of button feeding mechanism in accordance with the invention, said mechanism being shown in its actuated condition presenting a button at a button attachment site;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1 with some parts broken away to reveal otherwise hidden details of the apparatus, but showing the mechanism in its rest position;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line III-III of FIG. 1 but showing the parts at a different point in their operative cycle;

FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views illustrating the manner in which a button is oriented and delivered to a conveyor forming part of the FIG. 1 mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a latch shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrating the manner in which said latch is released;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of certain elements shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a section on the line X-X of FIG. 11;

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of actuating mechanism for a button conveyor and a button ejector forming part of the FIG. 1 mechanism, the several parts being shown in fullline in their rest positions, and

FIG. 12 corresponds generally to FIG. 11 but shows the parts in the positions they assume when the conveyor has deposited a button at the button attachment site and is about to return to its rest position.

A button feeding mechanism 2 in accordance with the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1.

It should be made clear at the outset that whereas the invention is primarily concerned with and will be described with reference to apparatus, nevertheless insofar as the mechanism 2 performs certain operations in a certain sequence the invention is also concerned with a method of feeding buttons to a button attachment site.

As previously explained the invention contemplates the feeding of buttons individually to a button attachment site. In its broadest aspect the mechanism 2 comprises de- 3 adjacent the head of a sewing machine indicated in chain dotted line at 8 in FIG. 1.

The mechanism 2 also includes means generally designated O for imparting a predetermined orientation to each button B and delivering it to the conveyor C in said orientation. In the specific embodiment illustrated, wherein each button B is provided with a pair of holes 12-12, the purpose of such orientation is to locate the button B on the conveyor C with the holes 12-12 so disposed that when the button is deposited by said conveyor at the button attachment site B the holes will lie in the appropriate orientation to permit attachment of the button to a garment by the sewing machine S without further adjustment-manual or otherwise.

It will be understood, however, that circumstances may well exist wherein buttons which are not perforated and/ or which are attachable to garments by means other than sewing may nevertheless have to be presented in a particular orientation for attachment to a garment by mechanical attaching means. The invention, of course, is applicable to the foregoing situation as well as to the situation specifically illustrated in the drawings.

The conveyor C is provided with engaging means engageable with a button B at the intermediate position B and also while it is being transported by the conveyor to the button attachment site. In the present embodiment the conveyor C principally comprises an arm 14 and the aforesaid engaging means consists of a formation on the arm 14, specifically a pair of upwardly directed studs 16-16, which is engageable with a corresponding formation on a button B. More particularly the formation on the button B. More particularly the formation on the button B may comprise sockets, such as the holes 12-12, in which the studs 16-16 are respectively engageable when the sockets and studs are in registration with each other, and it will be understood that such registration is achieved when the button is delivered in said predetermined orientation to the conveyor C by the means 0.

Although in the present instance studs and sockets have been chosen to illustrate the working of the invention these are but examples of suitable formations which may be used on the conveyor C and the buttons B.

The various components of the mechanism 2 will now be described in greater detail.

Preferably a stage 17 is provided to afford temporary support to the buttons B at the intermediate position B The stage 17 may be flat, as shown, with a passageway 18 formed therein for a purpose which will appear. Preferably the passageway 18 is in the form of a deep slot opening at the periphery of the stage 17.

The stage 17 provides a pair of support surfaces 20- 20, FIG. 9, one on each side of the passageway 18. A button B fed to the stage 17 is supported by marginal portions thereof resting on the support surfaces 20-20 with its central portion, containing the holes 12-12, overlying the passageway 18 permitting access thereto by the studs 16-16.

The arm 14 is mounted for more or less reciprocating or oscillating movement in a horizontal direction, whereby the studs 16-16 are moved between the intermediate position B and the button attachment site B However the studs 16-16 may also have a vertical component of movement to effect engagement in and disengagement from the holes 12-12 in a button B.

More specifically at one point in the cycle of movement of the arm 14 the studs 16-16 are disposed immediately below and spaced from the central portion of a button B supported on the surfaces 20-20. As the cycle continues the studs move upwards from this position through the passageway 18 to a location wherein the tops of the studs are disposed above the level of the support surfaces 20- 20. At this position engagement is effected between the studs 16-16 and the holes 12-12 in the button B. With the button thus engaged on the conveyor C the arm is moved, preferably in a substantially horizontal direction,

to position the button at the button attachment site B where it is held by button receiving means, not shown, on the sewing machine S. The button receiving means may take the form of a pair of spring loaded jaws which automatically grip the button B when the latter is positioned at the site B Thereafter the arm may move downwards sufficiently to disengage the studs 16-16 from the holes 12-12 in the button before returning to the original position wherein the studs 16-16 are positioned below and spaced from a further button B on the stage 17.

The manner in which the arm 14 is mounted and actuated to procure movement of the studs 16-16 as aforesaid will be described in greater detail hereinafter. For the present it is suflicient to mention that such movement is preferably efiected by drive means under the control of the operator of the sewing machine 8, as for example by the application of pressure to a pedal and by release of such pressure.

Preferably buttons B are fed from a stock thereof contained in a hopper 21 to a magazine 22 from which an ejector 24 successively ejects individual buttons and conveys them to the support surfaces 20-20 in timed relation with the movements of the conveyor C. It will be understood that said magazine 22 and ejector 24 form part of the delivery means D previously mentioned.

The magazine 22 may include a vertically disposed cylindrical chamber 23, as shown in FIG. 3, whose lower end is spaced above the stage 17 a distance slightly greater than the thickness of a button B. Parallel guides 26-26 are disposed between the chamber 23 and the stage 17 forming a guidew-ay slightly greater in width than the diameter of a button B and extending more or less horizontally from the lower end of the chamber 23 to the region of the support surfaces 26-20.

A stack of buttons B is normally disposed in the magazine 22, the lowermost button of the stack resting on the stage 17 between the guides 26-26. As shown the ejector 24 is reciprocable in the space between the magazine 22 and the stage 17 and also between the guides 26-26. On its forward stroke the ejector engages the button B at the bottom of the stack and slides it from under the stack between the guides 26-26 towards the support surfaces 20-20, the commencement of such forward stroke being illustrated in FIG. 3.

The ejector 24 is preferably of uniform thickness throughout its length, said thickness approximating to that of a button B. Thus while it is ejecting a button B from the stack and conveying it to the surfaces 20-20 the ejector itself prevents any substantial falling of the remainder of the stack of buttons which is temporarily upheld by the upper surface of the ejector, as shown in FIG. 3. Of course when the ejector 24 clears the lower end of the chamber 23 on its return stroke the stack of buttons is free to fall so that the lowermost button of the stack again rests upon the stage 17.

As the stack of buttons B in the magazine 22 falls, or shortly thereafter, the magazine is recharged at its upper end via an orifice 28 at the top of the chamber 23.

A conduit 31 extends between the orifice 28 and an outlet port 31 of the hopper 21. For the purposes of the present embodiment the conduit 30 is shown in the general form of a chute down which buttons are slidable in single column from the hopper 21 to the magazine 22. The lower end of the conduit 36 communicates with the chamber 23 via the orifice 28 and when the stack of buttons B in the magazine falls as described above, the spaced left at the top of the chamber 23 is filled by a further button B which is then free to pass through the orifice 28 and into the chamber.

The conduit 30 is preferably replenished from the hopper 4 as the column of buttons B wherein is gradually used up in recharging the magazine 22. The means by which this is effected does not constitute a part of the present invention and accordingly will not be described in detail. Suflice it to say that buttons B are automatically delivered through the outlet port 31 of the hopper 4 and are deposited in the upper end of the conduit 30 when necessary to maintain a substantially continuous column of buttons extending from end to end of the conduit. Preferably where so-called single faced buttons are used the buttons B are deposited face up in the conduit 30 so that they arrive at the intermediate position B and ultimately the attachment site B in a face up condition.

The magazine 22 and the conduit 30 are preferably readily demountable from the rest of the mechanism 2 for replacement respectively by a magazine and conduit adapted to receive buttons of different dimensions. The lower end of the conduit 30 may be tapered for engagement in a correspondingly tapered recess in the magazine 22, in FIG. 3, and its upper end is formed with a hole which engages over a pin 31a carried by the hopper 21 adjacent to the outlet port 31. The conduit 30 is thus easily dismantled manually. The width of the port 31 is adjustable by means of a movable side member 3117 to correspond with that of different conduits 30.

The magazine 22 may be mounted on the stage 17 by means of pins such as 17a, FIG. 9, which engage frictionally in holes 22:: in the magazine. The magazine can be lifted ofi the pins 17a without difficulty when the conduit 30 is dismantled.

The guides 26-26 guide a button B as it is conveyed by the ejector 24 to the support surfaces 20-20. Preferably means is provided for holding successive buttons B at the correct location on the support surfaces 20-20 in readiness for being engaged by the conveyor C. Such means may comprise a pair of jaws 32-32 respectively pivoted at their rear ends to the guides 26-26 for swinging movement in a horizontal plane. The jaws 32-32 are biased towards each other by springs 34-34, the extent of their movement in this direction being limited by their hooked ends 36-36 which come into engagement with the guides 26-26.

Each jaw 32 is formed on the side thereof confronting the other with a general-1y arcuate surface 32a terminating at the rear and front ends of the jaw 32 in noses 32b. As will be seen from FIG. 2 the noses 32b normally project inwards of the guideway defined by the guides 26-26 whereby a button B slid along said guideway by the ejector 24 first encounters the noses 32b with its leading edge. Continued forward movement of the button B by the ejector 24 earns the jaws 32-32 outwards until the centre of the button B has passed the said rear noses whereupon the jaws spring back inwards under the influence of springs 34-34 in an obvious manner, leaving the button B located between the jaw surfaces 32a-32a. Preferably the button B is not actually gripped by the jaws 32-32 in this position but is free to rotate between the jaws for a purpose which will appear. Accordingly the jaw ends 36-36 are preferably arranged to permit inward movement of the jaws 32-32 to such an extent that they almost, but not quite, touch a button B centred between the surfaces 3211-320.

The guides 26-26 may be detachably mounted on the underside of the magazine 22 as indicated in FIG. 9.

As previously noted at one point in the cycle of movement of the arm 14 the studs 16-16 are disposed immediately below and spaced from the central portion of a button B supported on the surfaces 20-20 and it will be appreciated that this takes place when the button B is located between the jaw surfaces 32a-32a.

At this stage in the machine cycle, which is shown in FIG. 4, the button B is randomly oriented-that is to say the holes 12-12 in the button may or may not be in registration with the studs 16-16.

As previously described the studs 16-16 thereafter move upwards to a location wherein the tops of the studs are disposed above the level of the support surfaces 20-20. Obviously if the holes 12-12 are in registration with the studs the latter will enter the holes and thus engage the button B for subsequently transporting it to the attachment site B Conversely if the holes 12-12 are not in registration with the studs 16-16 the latter will abut the unperforated regions of the button and lift the button upwards off the support surfaces 20-20 as shown in FIG. 5. The studs 16-16 are so dimensioned that the button B thus lifted is brought into the range of the orienting means 0 which rotates the button until the holes 12-12 register with the studs 16-16, at which point the studs enter the holes and the button drops out of range of the orienting means 0 as shown in FIG. 6.

The means 0 includes a rotor 38 disposed above the intermediate position B and in the present embodiment the rotor is continuously driven during operation of the mechanism 2 by a motor 40 coupled to the rotor 38 by a transmission 42. The rotor 38 comprises a spindle 38a journalled in a mounting 44, and a head 38b provided on its lower end with a friction surface which may be a rubber pad 46 and which confronts the upper surface of a button B at the intermediate position B The spindle 38a is capable of limited axial movement in the mounting 44 and is biased downwards by a compression spring 48 acting between the head 38b and the mounting 44.

When the button B is lifted by the studs 16-16 the upper surface of the button contacts the pad 46 which is, of course, rotating with the rotor 38. The button may also push the rotor 38 slightly upwards against the bias of the spring 48 whereby the rotor exerts a resilient yielding pressure on the button. The friction between the pad 46 and the upper surface of the button B is much greater than that between the studs 16-16 and the lower surface of the button whereby so long as the button contacts the pad 46 it is driven by and rotates with the rotor 38. It should be explained at this point that the vertical dimension of the jaws 32-32 is preferably such that when a button B is lifted into contact with the pad 46 the button is still located between the jaw surfaces 32a-32a which serve to maintain the button in its correct location while it is being rotated as aforesaid. Because of the slight clearance between the button and the surfaces 32a-32a the button is quite free to move both vertically and rotationally but is nevertheless restricted by the jaws 32-32 against bodily horizontal movement.

Once the button B has been rotated by the rotor 38 to a position wherein the holes 12-12 register with the studs 16-16, the studs enter the holes and the button descends under the influence of gravity which may be assisted by the downward thrust of the spring 48. Descent of the button is arrested by its abutment with a hub 50 on which the studs 16-16 are mounted.

The hub 50 is preferably mounted for rotational adjustment on the arm 14 whereby the precise orientation of the studs 16-16 relative to the arm 14 can be varied, to suit different sewing machines for example, the hub 50 being locked in the desired position by a nut 51. It will be understood that the hub 50 is adjustable to ensure that the buttons B are presented at the attachment site B in the correct orientation to permit attachment thereof to a garment by the sewing machine 8 without further adjustment.

Attention is now directed to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 wherein one exemplary form of the mechanism for procuring the above described movements of the arm 14 and ejector 24 is illustrated, the rest position of the parts in FIGS. 10 and 11 being shown in full line and the actuated positions being shown in broken or chain-dotted line. For convenience the parts will be described with reference to the direction of travel of the buttons through the mechanism, whereby the right-hand side of FIGS. 10- 12 will be designated the rear end of the apparatus and the left-hand side the forward end.

As shown the stage 17 is spaced above a base 52 for the mechanism 2 by standards 54 to which it is rigidly secured. The standards 54 also carry rigidly secured thereto a plate 56 disposed between the stage 17 and the base 52.

A plaform 58 is disposed between the stage 17 and the plate 56, said platform being pivoted at 60 to the rear pair of standards 54 and being swingable between a raised position shown in full line in FIG. 11, and a lowered position shown in broken line in FIG. 11 and in full line in FIG. 12. For convenience of illustration in FIG. 10, the platform 58 has been drawn as though constructed of a transparent material whereby the parts both above and below the platform can be clearly seen.

Although not specifically shown in the drawing, means may be provided for adjusting the height of the parts 17, 56 and 58 above the base 52 to adapt the mechanism 2 for use with different types of sewing machines. Conveniently the standards 54 may be vertically extensible to effect such adjustment.

The arm 14, which may be roughly arcuate in plan, overlies the platform 58 and is connected at its rear end to a pivot 64 which is slidable in a rectilinear elongated slot 66 in the platform. The arm 14 is also connected approximately midway between its ends to a second pivot 68 which is slidable in a curved elongated slot 70 in the platform 58.

In the rest position of the arm 14, shown in full line in FIG. 10, the pivots 64 and 68 are disposed at the rear ends of the slots 66 and 70 respectively and the studs 16-16 are located at the intermediate position B Conversely in the actuated position of the arm 14, shown in broken line FIG 10, wherein the studs 16-16 are positioned at the button attachment site B the pivots 64 and 68 are disposed at the forward ends of the slots 66 and 70.

It will be seen that as the arm 14 is moved from the rest to the actuated position its forward end, carrying the studs 16-16, projects beyond the margin of the platform 58 and, owing to the camming action of the curved slot 70 and the pivot 68, the whole arm pivots in an anticlockwise direction, FIG. 10, about the pivot 64, whereby the said forward end is swung towards the attachment site B2:

The movement of the arm 14 is effected by means of a lever 72 pivotally connected at 74- to the upper side of the plate 56. The lever 72 is swingable between the rest and actuated positions illustrated by any appropriate means, and may, for example, be mechanically connected to a foot pedal (not shown) whereby such swinging movement is effected under the control of the sewing machine operator. The lever 72 is biased towards the rest position by a spring 75.

The lever 72 is coupled to the pivot 68 by a linkage generally designated 76 and comprising individual links 76a, 76b, and 760. The link 76a is connected at one end to the pivot 68 and at the other to link 76b'whose other end in turn is pivotally connected to the underside of the platform 58 at 77. The link 76c is connected at one end to the lever 72 and at the other, through a lost motion connection, to the link 7612 as shown. The lost motion connection may comprise a post 78 on the link 76b which engages in an elongated slot 79 in the link 760.

The action of the linkage 76 when the lever 72 is moved from its rest to its actuated position will be quite apparent from the drawings, although clearly movement of the lever 72 is not transmitted to the arm 14 via the pivot 68 until the lost motion between the links 76b and 76c has been taken up. The linkage 7 6 and arm 14 are maintained firmly in their rest positions, until actuated by swinging of the lever 72, by a tension spring 81 acting on the post 78.

The platform 58 carries a spring-biased latch 80 at its I forward end which, in the rest position of the parts, co-

operates with the keeper 82 on the stage 17 to maintain the platform 58 in its raised position. As the lever 72 is swung towards its actuated position the arm 14 moves forwards towards the attachment station B the platform 58 being still maintained in its raised position by the latch 80. More or less simultaneously with the arrival of the studs 1616 at the attachment station B an abutment 84, which may be in the form of a washer, carried by the pivot 68 strikes the latch urging it out of engagement with the keeper 82 as shown particularly in FIG. 8. The platform 58 is thereupon permitted to fall to its lowered position at which it is arrested by a stop 85 and carries with it the arm 14.

It will be understood that as the studs 1616 arrive at the attachment station B a button B carried thereby is engaged and held by button receiving means such as the spring loaded jaws previously mentioned on the sewing machine 3. Thus when the arm 14- moves downwards upon release the latch 80 from the keeper 82 the button re mains held by the button receiving means while the studs 16-16 move downwards until they are clear of the holes 12.

When the lever 72 is returned to its rest position under the influence of the spring 7 5 the arm 14 is retracted (i.e. moved rearwards) relative to the platform 58 which remains in its lowered position. It will be appreciated that by reason of the lost motion connection 7879 the studs 16-16 reach a position underlying a button B at the intermediate position B slightly before the lever 72 reaches its rest position. Thereafter the final part of the movement of lever 72 towards said rest position is utilized to restore the platform 58 to its raised position.

The lever 72 co-operates with a cam surface 86a at one end of the plate 56. The cam surface 86a may project upwards through a slot 88 in the plate 56 for engagement by lever 72. The end of the rocker bar 86 remote from the cam surface 86a contacts the lower end of a push rod 90 which passes through a hole in the plate 56 and is slidable axially in a guide block 92 secured to said plate.

The upper end of the push rod 96 contacts the under side of the platform 58. The parts 86 and 90 are so dimensioned that when the lever 72 reaches its rest position and engages the cam surface 86a, the downward camming effected by such engagement and the consequent rocking of the rocker bar 86 and upward movement of the push rod 90 serve to restore the platform 58 to its raised position at which the latch 81 again snaps into engagement with the keeper 82.

When the platform 58 is thus raised again, the arm 14 and studs 1616 are, of course, also moved upwards whereby the studs 16-16 are engaged with a further button B which has meanwhile been delivered to the support surfaces 20-20 by the ejector 24.

The ejector 24', is slidable 'between a pair of rails 94-4 4, FIG. 1, on the upper surface of stage 17 and is rearwardly biased by a spring 96. A bracket 98, to which one end of the spring 96 is secured, is attached to the ejector 24 and includes a downwards extending tip 98a which projects through an elongated slot 109' in the stage 17 into the path of the upper end of the pivot 6 which projects somewhat above the upper surface of the arm 14.

As the arm 14 is being moved from its rest to its actuated position in the previously described manner the pivot 64 engages the bracket 98a and carries the bracket and associated ejector 24 forwards with it against the bias of the spring 96. The ejector is thus enabled to operate in the manner already described, sliding a button B from the stack in the magazine 22 and carrying it forward to the intermediate position B when the said position has been vacated by the previous button B which has, of course, been carried away towards the attachment site B by the arm 14. Since the amplitude of movement of the ejector 24 need not always be as great as that of the arm 14, there may be a certain amount of lost motion before the pivot 64 engages the bracket tip 9841.

When the lever '72 and its associated parts are returned to their rest positions the ejector 24 is returned to its rest position by the spring 96.

In summary, with the parts in their rest positions, the arm 14 is retracted relative to the platform 58 and the studs 1616 are disposed at the intermediate position B with a button B engaged thereupon. As the lever 72 is swung towards its actuated position the arm 14 is projected from the platform 58 and carries the button B, engaged upon the studs 1616, away from the position B clear of the stage 17, to the button attachment position B Simultaneously with such movement of the arm 14 the ejector 24 engages a further button B in the magazine 22 and slides it between the guides 26-26 to the intermediate position B As the button B on the arm 14 reaches the attachment position B it is gripped by button receiving means on the sewing machine 8 and more or less simultaneously the platform 58 moves to its lowered position as previously described, whereby the arm 14 and studs 16-16 also move slightly downwards until the studs 1616 clear the holes 12-12 in the button B, leaving the latter gripped in the button receiving means as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 12.

The cycle of movement of the arm 14 is completed when the lever 72 is returned from its actuated to its rest position whereby the arm 14 is again retracted relative to the platform 58 until the studs 16-16 underlie the button B newly positioned at the intermediate position B at which point the platform 58 is returned to its raised position carrying with it the arm 14 and the studs 16-16 which thereupon engage the button B at the intermediate position B in the manner described.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been described herein for illustrative purposes, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made in the embodiment described without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the ap pended claims, and that all such changes and modifications will be obvious to a person skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

I claim:

1. A self-contained mechanism for feeding buttons successively from a hopper to a button attachment site remote from said hopper comprising:

a stationary support for temporarily supporting a button at an intermediate position between said hopper and said attachment site;

means including a chute for delivering buttons from the hopper to said support;

jaws for retaining successive single buttons against accidental displacement from said support;

an ejector for ejecting successive buttons singly onto said support and into said jaws;

a conveyor for transporting each said button from said jaws to said button attachment site;

means at said intermediate position for imparting a predetermined orientation to said button and delivering it to said conveyor in said orientation; and

engaging means on said conveyor engageable with said button at said intermediate position for retaining said button in said predetermined orientation during the transportation of said button to said button attachment site remote from said mechanism and until said button is required to be detached from said conveyor.

2. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support comprises a platform having a passageway formed therein to underlie a button supported on said platform:

said platform includes a pair of support surfaces on opposite sides of said passageway, said support surfaces serving to support marginal portions of a button disposed on said platform with the central portion of said button overlying said passageway, said engaging means on said conveyor being movable upwards through said passageway to engage said button central portion.

3. Mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein said ejector is slidably mounted for reciprocating movement overlying said platform and said conveyor is slidably mounted for reciprocating movement underlying said platform.

4. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1 including:

a magazine adjacent said intermediate position for containing a plurality of buttons in stacked relationship one with another, buttons being delivered to said magazine from said chute and single buttons being expelled successively from said magazine to said jaws by said ejector.

5. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1 including:

means for moving said conveyor between a raised position and a lowered position;

the conveyor being in its raised position for engagement of said engaging means with a button at said intermediate position and the conveyor being movable .by said means to its lowered position as said button is transported to said button attachment site, the conveyor thereafter being movable by said means to its raised position upon return of said engaging means to said intermediate position.

6. Mechanism as claimed in claim 5 including:

a mounting member underlying said support pivotally supported for limited pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, said conveyor being slidably mounted upon said member;

an actuating lever pivotally mounted upon said member; and

linkage connecting said lever to said conveyor.

7. Mechanism as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means includes a releasable latch mechanism for retaining said mounting member in a raised position when said engaging means is located at said intermediate position and raising means for raising said mounting member from its lowered position to its raised position upon return of said engaging means from said attachment site to said intermediate position.

8. Mechanism as claimed in claim 7 including:

co-operating means on both said conveyor and said ejector for actuating movement of said ejector upon movement of said conveyor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 685,815 11/1901 Chilton 211-173 2,505,468 4/1950 Forca 221-173 3,042,254 7/1962 Hendrickson 221-173 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

